Freight container



Jan. 4, 1949. L. D. SMITH ETAL FREIGHT CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1946 Jan. 4, 1949." L. D. SMITH ETAL FREIGPIT CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1946 five/2282:: azezla A Deceased,

Q 115' d cazzi t a yz/ Jan. 4; 1949. L. D. SMITH ETAL 2,457,342

' FREIGHT CONTAINER Filed 001.. 4, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 thesocket; a p These-and such other objects as ,may*herein'-" the invention shown in in: whereinz. 4

" showing the door end;

Patented Jan. 4, 1949 Leathem 1). Smith, dec

Bay, Wis by Alva Sturgeon Bay, Win,

Wis.;' said Stearn assignor to as administratrix of the estate a Sturgeon Bay, 7 vAlva F. Smith,

eased, late of Sturgeon F. Smith, administratrix,

and Richard A. Stearn,

of said Leathem Smith, deceased Application octab'e eim, Serial No. 701,102 r 1 11 Claims.

This invention relates to This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 592,376,fl1ed May 7,1945, =by Leathem- D. Smith, Richard A.Stearn and Carl R. Christianson, and of United States application Serial No. 610,148, med- August- 10, 19451 by Leathem D. Smith, can R'QChristianson, Richard A. Stearn andHoward H. Hunt. v

The first object of this invention is to provide a shipping container of the type disclosed in co- ,pending application Serial No; 592,376, which has a shipping container.

(on. zen-1.5)

entrance doors at one end. In order to utilize a rigid container ascontrasted with a collapsible container toits fullest extent, the entrance doors must be as high and as wide as possible. .The construction shown in said copending application was not satisfactory for" the installation of doors because the vertical corner structure was not sufficiently strong. ,These containersare to i be lifted at their four upper cornersand great 2 Flg. 2 is a front elevation of the container partly cut away to show means for fastening the side, 513012120111; top. to each other and to the corner panels; Fig. ,3 is a side view partly cut away for the e r se;

Fig. 41s a top view the construction; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an upper front door corner'of the container showing a leg socket unit;

partly cut away to illustrate a Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line 8-6 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 7 is, a front view of a container leg unit; and V v Fig.8 is aside view of a container leg unit.

Continuing to refer to the drawings, applicants r. container generally identified by the numeral l0,

rigidity is necessary. Additionally, the door construction must not interfere with the leg and socket construction. One of the features-of this invention is thefurther development ofl the ver-' tical side corner columns construction'shown in Fig. 1 of said copending. application. The folding leg, the vertically alignedsocketor-recess and the intermediate column are fabricated'intosub:

stantially a single unit which arethereafter 30 joined to transverse, top, and beams,- sidewalls,

top and bottom to provide a 'very'strong cont'ainer open at one end.

The second objectof this invention is to pro- V vide an improved leg socket and.' hook. The basic arrangement of this'le'g'sockefland hook is shown in Fig; 4 in 'cop'ehding. applicationfs'e'rial' No. 610,148, by Leatheni D. smitlietali Y A'third object of this invention; isrto provide or retracted p0;

tion is the provision of a two-position" pingperm nently held in the'leg mountingandiprojectingg' container; 'lflie phr is notengage anypart of from the leg beneath the positioned so that it will after appear, are attained infthje embodiment of. a

e ac omp .dt ww Fig. 1 is sf perspecti e h consists essentially 1 a strong floor or base i2,

see Flg. 3, of rectangular plan configuration having a column mounted at each corner and having .a beam connecting the tops of each pair of colmm at each end. Referring to Fig. 1, the columns 'aredesignated by the numerals ,16, I 8

and 20 not shown. The columns II and it are connected attheir tops by a front beam 22 and the columns I 8 and 20 by a rear beam 24. The 1 columns [4 and it connected bythe beam 22 constitute aninverted U-shaped framaand the same is truej'of columns I I and 20 joined by the beam 24; These inverted U -'shaped members constitute the. supports forthe side walls 26 and 28 the top 30', the rear endwall"v (not shown) and the front 'doorsflandfl. y I 7 Continuing to view the container generally, it

will be noted in Fig. 1 that all of the-closure panels carry outwardly directed reinforcing flutes 38.

\ Y vThese fiutes,'fhowe'ver, doanot extend beyond 'a an improved folding leg having-aiprotected pin'flfor i I locking theleg in either extended 7 g sition. These containers are. severely usedig'l 'hej; retracting leg shown in copending ppncsuonse: rial No. 592,376, has a straig'htfpin; "Iliispin' can be lost. 'Oneof the features cine as-nam s:

plane containing the surface of'adiacent colof column, l8. Thereason for this is that the load capacityof the-containers is such and the desire tokeep down the weight is such that reinforcing flutes are necessary; on the other hand,'for-stacking. purposes, it is desirable that the external surfaces of thecorner columns accurately define the *planedimensions of the container while the surfaces cfthe beams 22 and 24 define the top'dimensionofthe container. Atthe same time it is',,dsirab1e tofhavethe flat surface of the side walls constitute the inner wall of the container b'ecause it is easierf-to arrange a loadina container when working against. the lflat wallsfas' contrasted with ribbed walls. Referring to Fig. 4,

noted that the "column I! 'hafs'anim" a ;.*wardly 'dire'ctednange. I28 which has approxi- Base and folding leg construction Referring to Fig. 3, the base comprises a series of metal floor panels 48 having an L-shaped cross section with flanges 58 and 62 which are .assembled into a flat flooring by welding at 84 and by side channel bars such as 58, see Fig. 2. The front of the flooring is closed in by a heavier channel beam 68 which is at the door end of the container,

Mounted on the four corners of the container are leg units, there being two left and two right leg units. Referring to Figs. 6, 7, and 8, aleg unit consistsof a base plate 82, from the outside corner of which depends an apron 64 consisting of plates 86, 88, and I8. Disposed with its upper endinside the apron 64, is a. folding leg generally identified by the numeral 12. This folding leg comprises a pair of side walls I4 and I8 joined together by a leg face I8. It will be noticed that the leg side walls I4 and 76 are beveled at 88 and that the top edge such as 82, is flush with the bottom of the plate 62. The effect is that when a weight is positioned on the plate 62 with the leg in the solid line position shown, the weight will be transmitted through the top edges 82 of the leg side walls I4 and 18 and the top edge of the leg face I8 to the leg I2.

The bevel 88 is the cord of an are having 84 as its center and having the right angle a forming its radial limits. The plates 66 and I and the leg side walls I4 and I8 are perforated by like-size holes along an axis through the point 84. A pair of supporting, auxiliary plates 88 and 88 are similarly perforated. "Equidistant from the hole, such as 98, are like-size holes 92 and 94. Holes in alignment with the hole 92 but in the plates I4, 86, 88, I8 and 18 are shown in Fig. 6. Holes aligned with the hole 94 in the plates 86, 88, and 18 are likewise there shown. At the same distance from a center 84 but in the two leg side walls I4 and I8 are aligned openings such as 96. Positioned through the openings aligned with the hole 98 is a locking pin 98 having two offset shanks I88 and I82 for engaging the sets of holes in alignment with hole 92. A spring I84 having one end seated in an annular recess I86 in a collar on the locking pin 98 urges the pin into the position shown in Fig. 6 where a shoulder I81 engages the plate 86. By inserting a lever at point I88, the pin may be retracted into dotted line position I I8, thereby permitting the leg to be swung in the dot-dash line position II2. In order to lock the leg in this position, the locking pin is rotated 180 degrees so that it may now drop into those holes in alignment with the hole 94. It will be noted that the locking pin cannot be removed by ordinary usage, so that it will not get lost, and that its head is on an inside of the leg where it is not so likely to catch some object and be damaged. It will also be noted, referring to the upper left-hand leg recess in Fig. 2, that the outer edge of the locking pin 98 is at a point more distant from the bottom of the leg than the depth of the socket so that in maneuvering a leg into a socket, the pin cannot .be damaged.

Returning to Fig. 8, when the leg is in folded position, it may also act as a leg because of a 4 portion H8. The hole 88 is to the left of a line bisecting this portion II8 of this leg and consequently there will be no tendency of the leg to change position. Whether the leg is in the upright position or raised position, any weight on the plate 82 will be transmitted to the leg not by way of pins through holes 98, 92, and 94 but by way of the upper edges of side walls and leg face I4, I8, and I8 or by way of the side edges I28 of the plates 14 and 76, which engage the bottom of the base 62. I

The foregoing description covers a right-hand leg. The left-hand leg is the reverse of the righthand leg. There are two left-hand and two righthand legs and the base is welded to the plates such as 82 and, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, are set back a short distance from the corners.

The inverted U-shaped frames The column I6 is a vertical right angled member comprising two side .walls I22 and I24 bent over a rounded corner at right angles to each other. Vertical edges of the column I6 are turned degrees inwardly to form reverse flanges I28 .and I28. The long and short dimensions, in cross section, of the column I8 are the same as long and short dimensions of a leg recess base plate I38, see Fig. 5, and which is butt-welded around its edges to the top of the column I6. The leg recess comprises the sloping surface I32 which meets the base plate I38 at the same angle as does, referring to Fig. 2, the inside slope I34 of a leg I38. Returning to Fig; 5, the surface I38 is canted with respect to the base plate I38 for guiding a leg of a superposed container into proper position. The surface I38 is broken by a draw which is segregated by a bridge I42. The purpose of the draw I48 and the bridge I42 is to permit a hook from a crane or an especially adapted lifting rig to grip a corner of the container at the socket. This is fully disclosed in cop'ending application Serial No. 610,148. The leg recess is at present fabricated by cut plates and welding, conceivably a casting might be used. In this invention, it constitutes the capital of a column, and the column I6 and the leg recess unit provide great rigidity.

The two front columns with their recess unit capitals are joined by the horizontal beam 22, which referring to' Fig. 3, is seen to consist of a top plate I46 having a downwardly reversed flange 44, a rounded lintel I58 and an inside reinforcing gusset I52.

The inverted.U-shaped front frame is mounted on the base by resting the bottoms of the columns I4 and I6 on the leg base plates such as 82 and then welding the columns bottom to the base plates and the flanges to the side of the base itself.

The rear inverted U-shaped frame is constructed in the same manner as the front excepting that-the cross beam 24 has a vertical reinforcing gusset not shown, of slightly different shape from I52.

Side walls, top, rear end, and front doors same is true of the top, the other side wall, and

the back with respect to the flanges on the adjacent beam or column. .At the point where the side walls meet the top. 9. rolled angle iron is used, see Fig. 2, where the angle iron bears the numeral I52. The angle iron is applied to the inside edge'of the side wall and top.

It will be appreciated that it makes it possible to use nuts and bolts so that the container may be constructed so that it can be erected and taken apart. Under such circumstances the elements of the container will consist of the two U-shaped members, the base with leg attached, and .the side, end, and top panels, and the front doors.

The front doors 34 and 36 are complementary with the right-hand door overlapping the lefthand door 34. Two hinges such as IE4 and iii are used and any appropriate latch such as 168.

Levers I and H2 control auxiliary locking bolts,

not shown. In Figs. 3 and 4 the parametric con-"- struction of the doors is illustrated. The doors sit well inside of the faces of the column. I

Having thus described our invention, ,what we claim is:

l. A fabricated metal freight container having a right parallelepiped shape comprising a'rectangular bottom, a column vertically mounted on the bottom at each corner thereof, a leg pivotal around a horizontal shaft mounted on the bot-.

tom in vertical alignment with each column, two bases on each leg angularly spaced from each other with respect to the shaft and each'in the same vertical line when in effective position, one base being at a greaterdistance from the shaft than the other base, each base being spaced from the container bottom when in effective position, an upwardly open leg socket rigidly mounted-on the top of each column in vertical alignment with whichever depending leg base is in effective position, side walls on said sockets which coopera tively engage either base of the legs of a super; posed similar container and hold the legs and the container against lateral movement in any direction, side walls joining the columns and their superposed leg sockets to each other, and a top joining the top edges of the side walls and the top of the leg sockets to each other.

2. Afreight container having a right parallelepiped shape comprising a rectangular bottom, a column vertically mounted on the bottom at each corner thereof, a pair of spaced, vertical plates rigidly fastened to the bottom beneath each column, a leg having its upper portion positioned between said plates, axially aligned holes through said plates and leg, an axially movable shaft disposed in said holes; two bases on each leg angularly spaced from each other with respect to the shaft, one base being at a greater distance from the shaft than the other, and each base being 6 corner thereof, a leg mounted on the bottom in vertical alignment with each column, an upwardly open leg socket rigidly mounted on the top of each column in vertical alignment with the depending leg, side walls on said sockets which cooperatively engage the legs of a superposed similar container and hold the legs and the container against lateral movement in any direction, an upwardly open slot extending from the socket sidewall to the container top, a bridge across the slot at the intersection of the socket side wall and the top to form a recessed eyelet, side walls joining the columns and their superposed leg sockets to each other, and a top joining the top edges of the side walls and the top of the leg sockets to each other. v

4. The container of claim 3 wherein the"width of the eyelet slot is less than any horizontaldimension of a leg base.

5. A freight container comprising a body having a top, bottom, and side walls, a plurality of depending legs mounted on the body bottom, a like plurality of upwardly open leg sockets for seating similar legs in another container mounted in the upper part of said container and each in vertical alignment with a'depending leg, side walls in said sockets which cooperatively hold the legs of a superposed similar container from lateral movement in any direction, an upwardly open slot connecting the side wall of each socket to an adjoining portion of the top, and a bridge across the slot to form a lifting eyelet.

6. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a generally rectangular bottom, an elongated plate having a longitudinal bend mountedvertically with the outer side of the bend at each corner to form a corner column, a leg depending from the bottom beneath each corner column, a horizontal leg rest plate welded to the upper end of each column at the bend and extending inwardly of the column to all points in vertical alignment with the bottom of the associated leg,

' guide walls attached to and extending upwardly spaced from the container bottom when in effective position, aligned holes through one plate and a portion of said leg parallel to the shaft, a second shaft in the latter holes and rigidly connected to the first shaft at a point outside the plate, an upwardly open leg socket rigidly mounted on the top of each column in vertical alignment with the depending leg, side walls on said sockets which cooperatively engage the legs of a superposed similar container and hold the legs and the container against lateral movement in any direction, side walls joining the columns and their superposed leg sockets to each other, and a top joining the top edges of the side walls and the top of the leg sockets to each other.

column vertically mounted on the bottom at each from the inside edges of each rest plate to form open-sided leg sockets, side walls fastened to and joining the edges of adjacent columns and guide walls, and a top fastened to the top edges of the side walls and guide walls so that the horizontal leg rest plate and its associated guide walls are recessed into the container inside the planes of the container side walls and top.

7. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a generally rectangular bottom, an elongated plate having a longitudinal bend mounted vertically with the outer side of the bend at each corner to form a corner column, a leg depending from the bottom beneath each corner column, a horizontal rectangular leg rest plate welded along two sides to the upper end of each column at the bend and extending inwardly to all points in vertical alignment with the bottom of the associated leg, a guide wall attached to one inside edge of the leg 'rest plate and extending upwardly and inwardly, a second guide wall attached to the other inside edge of the leg rest plate and extending upwardly and inwardly, side walls fastened to and joining the edges of adjacent columns and guide walls, and atop fastened to the top edges of the side walls and guide walls so that the horizontal rectangular leg rest plate and associated guide walls are recessed into the container and inside the planes of the container side walls and top.

8. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a rectangular bottom, a leg depending capable of seating a similar leg of another coni tainer and being in vertical alignment with the leg associated with the column, side walls fastened,

to and joining edges of adjacent columns and superposed socket units, and a top fastened to the top edges of the side walls and socket units so that the socket units are recessed inside the planes of the side walls and top.

9. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a rectangular bottom, a pair of U-shaped frames invertedly and rigidly mounted on two opposite sides of the bottom with the frame ends at the corners, a leg mounted on the bottom beneath each frame end, a leg socket having a horizontal leg restplate and inside upwardly directed guide walls forming an open-sided leg socket recessed into the outside face of each frame at each upper corner so that the leg rest plate is in vertical alignment with the associated depending leg, and side walls and top rigidly joining the inverted U-shaped frames to each other.

10. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a rectangular bottom, a pair of U-shaped frames invertedly and rigidly mounted on two opposite sides of the bottom with the frame ends at the corners, a leg mounted on the bottom beneath each frame end, a leg socket having a horlzontal leg rest plate and inside upwardly directed guide walls forming an open-sided leg socket recessed into the outside face of each frame at each upper corner so that the leg rest plate is in vertical alignment with the associated depending leg, an inwardly directed flange formed along the edges of the frames that face each other, side walls and a top fastened to the inside edges of said flanges, and external reinforcing members on said side walls and top lying inside planes containing-the side and top surfaces of the U-shaped frames.

11. A fabricated metal freight container comprising a rectangular bottom, a pair of U-shaped frames invertedly and rigidly mounted on two opposite sides of the bottom with the frame ends at the corners, a leg mounted on the bottom beneath each frame end, a leg socket having a horizontal leg rest plate and inside upwardly directed guide walls forming an open-sided leg socket recessed into the outside face of each frame at each upper corner so that the leg rest plate is in vertical alignment with the associated depending leg, an inwardly directed double bend flange formed along the edges of the frames that face each other, and side walls and top rigidly fastened to the inside surface of the second bend of said flanges.

- ALVA F. SMITH.

Administratrix of the Estate of Leathem D. Smith,

Deceased.

RICHARD A. STEARN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,112,943 Stone Oct. 6, 1914 1,706,028 Johnson Mar. 19, 1929 1,811,313 Flldes June 23, 1931 1,830,998 Harbord Nov. 10, 1931 1,912,847 Klepel June 6, 1933 1,934,389 Ulsh Nov. 7, 1933 1,987,764 Walker et a1 Jan. 15, 1935 2,053,969 Olds Sept. 8, 1936 2,175,071 Walker Oct. 3, 1939 2,205,826 Small June 25, 1940 2,337,660 Hultberg Dec. 28, 1943 2,399,499 Miller Apr. 30, .1946 2,400,150 Jones et al May 14, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 412,297 Great Britain June 28, 1934 

